Tryggelev Cove

Facts

Attacked on all sides

By Jørgen Westphal, Konsulent, cand. mag. (14 stories)

Tryggelev Cove is on the west coast of Langeland. Until 2008, there was a long barrow on top of the cliff. The barrow followed the coastline. For many years, the sea had eroded the coastline. And finally, the border stones from one side of the barrow rolled down onto the beach in a long row. The long barrow is one of Denmark's 2,500 or so listed barrows and passage graves. There were once ten times that amount. The ones that are left are well looked after but in some cases legislation alone is not enough to stop them being spoiled. When Nature has a hand in the process of breaking down relics of the past, for example.

Public place

Selected entry

From burial chamber to refrigerator

Story written by Jørgen Westphal

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The long barrow at Tryggelev Cove was not only attacked by the sea. It also came under attack on its landward side. A Count from Tranekær once had the border stones removed from the landward side during the last half of the 19th century. The stones were split and used to make a stone dike. The Count also had a hunting lodge built on the site. He used the passage grave as his own personal larder – a kind of natural refrigerator. In 2006, a storm eroded yet another chunk out of the cliff. The burial chamber itself was in danger of collapse and was a public hazard. The cliff couldn't be secured effectively against more coastal erosion. So in 2008, the burial chamber was dismantled and moved to safety.